Capitol riot leaders Tarrio and Rhodes released from prison

Former Proud Boys leader Henry “Enrique” Tarrio and Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes have been released from prison, as President Donald Trump frees more than 1,500 people accused of crimes in the US Capitol four years ago.

Within 24 hours of Trump pardoning or commuting the sentences of those who tried to violently interfere in the 2020 elections, two prominent leaders were released from prison. Trump is also dismissing charges against those accused, but not tried, of the riots.

“My son, Enrique Tarrio, is officially released from now on!” Zuny Tarrio wrote on X.

Rhodes, who was not pardoned but commuted, is awaiting the release of the accused in jail.

Rhodes, a former US Army paratrooper and Yale-educated lawyer, was accused of leading a group of his Oath Keepers in Washington.

Although Rhodes did not enter the Capitol, he led his members from outside, and was sentenced in 2023 to 18 years in federal prison.

Tarrio was convicted of treason – a rarely used charge of coup d’état – for the riots. He was not in Washington DC during the riots but he led others to participate.

He received a 22-year sentence, one of the longest he was given.

Amid the pardons and reforms, Trump also signed an executive order ordering the Justice Department to drop all pending charges against those accused of rioting.

Many of these people have been in jail in Washington DC for more than a year, and Trump often referred to them during his campaign as “captives” as they await trial.

The lead attorney for the defendants – Edward R Martin – has also been appointed US Attorney in Washington DC, indicating the depth of Trump’s desire to resolve the cases quickly. The Washington office was in charge of trying the connected cases until January 6, 2021.

But for some of the inmates’ families, the release was heartbreaking on Tuesday.

Standing outside the D.C. Central Jail, Ben Pollock, whose children Jonathan and Olivia are being held inside, said he spoke with his son and learned he could be transferred to another facility.

“We don’t know what’s going on,” he said. “Why wasn’t it released?”

Democrats have criticized the release of more than 1,000 people as an attempt to rewrite history and whitewash the violence that led to so many deaths.

Trump said the day was “peaceful”.